Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo in Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak and Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule

In September, Rihanna launched her cosmetics line called Fenty Beauty, which caused something of an explosion in the makeup industry and online beauty community as everybody went crazy over it; there was no social media platform that wasn't saturated in photos, videos, reviews, and swatches of Fenty Beauty products. Rihanna has stated that "Fenty Beauty was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included; that's the real reason I made this line." Rihanna launched a base range of seven makeup formulations and six makeup tools that, with the exception of a single lip gloss, are focused on skin. 

This range includes four dual shades of Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, which is described as "a weightless, long-wear cream-to-powder hybrid" that "ranges from subtle day glow to insanely super-charged shades that were designed for all skin tones." It "keeps skin lit beyond sundown with its weightless long-wear formula… that instantly melts into skin and blends with almost zero effort." They are housed in a white mirrored octagonal compacts with the Fenty Beauty logo in grey on the lid, with secondary packaging that features a black-and-white graffiti design. Each Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo contains a total of 7 grams of product (3.5 grams per shade) and retails for $42. In North America, Fenty Beauty is available exclusively in-store and online at Sephora, and online at Fenty Beauty.

Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak and Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule
In daylight: Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak and Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule
In direct sunlight: Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak and Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule

Girl Next Door is a light-medium warm muted shell pink in a soft pearlized finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more pink than Fenty Beauty Chic Phreak, lighter and more pink than Too Faced Ray of Light, more pink than MAC Soft and Gentle, darker than Anastasia Beverly Hills Crushed Pearl (Gleam), and darker and less metallic than Anastasia Beverly Hills Kitty Kat (Nicole Guerriero).

Chic Phreak is a medium warm peachy pink with soft rose gold shimmer in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more peach than Fenty Beauty Girl Next Door, darker and more pink than MAC Beaming Blush, more pink than MAC New Romance, lighter and more pink than Becca Rose Gold, and more peach than Anastasia Beverly Hills Hard Candy (Gleam).

Ginger Binge is a medium-dark warm pinked copper with a soft rose gold shimmer-sheen in a soft pearlized finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more pinked than Fenty Beauty Moscow Mule, more peach than MAC Hushed Tone, darker and more copper than MAC Just a Pinch, lighter and more pink than Becca Blushed Copper, and lighter and more pink than Becca Songbird.

Moscow Mule is a medium-dark warm reddish copper with copper and rose gold shimmer in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more red than Fenty Beauty Ginger Binge, more sparkly than MAC Hushed Tone, lighter and more sparkly than MAC Hard to Get, more golden and more sparkly than Ciate Date Night, and more sparkly than Becca Blushed Copper.

I realize that I'm posting this review two months after these launched and there are hundreds of reviews for these highlighters out now, but I figured I'd put in my two cents because I've been wearing these for a several weeks and have really given them a solid test run (plus, I already took the photos). First, I want to note that these are not cream-to-powder. They are a soft, finely-milled powder so they feel creamy, but they function and apply as powders. I say this because that description of "cream-to-powder" almost deterred me from checking these out as I am strictly a powder girl. So in case there are people like me out there, I just wanted to clarify that. Each of the highlighter duos comes with one shade that is softer and more subtle with a muted pearlized sheen, and one shade that is more intense and saturated with a strong metallic finish. In theory, this provides more options for the consumer: the more muted shade is ideal for areas like under the brow or cupid's bow or the nose bridge, where you don't necessarily want a beaming highlight, and the stronger metallic shade is great for cheekbones and inner corner highlights.

However, the flaw in execution here is that the consumer looking for that beaming, high-shine highlight is only going to like the right-side pan of these duos, and likewise, the consumer looking for a soft, subtle highlight is only going to like the left-side pan. I feel like the majority of people won't use both shades in each compact; they'll generally favour one more than the other, leaving the other shade wasted. I do wish these highlighters had come out as singles for this reason. That having been said, all the shades here are smooth, finely-milled, and creamy. They apply evenly and really do look stunning on the skin, especially with Chic Phreak and Moscow Mule looking almost wet on the skin. I will note that Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule are more like illuminating blushes than true highlighters on all skintones except for deep dark (e.g. NC55/NW45 and darker), in which case they leave the most stunning rose gold sheen. As blushes, Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule look absolutely gorgeous. It's actually the duo that I'm most impressed with. Overall, if you like variety in tone and finish with your highlighters (or blushes, depending on your skintone!), then these Fenty Beauty duos are worth checking out. But there are plenty of dupes for all of these shades out there, so if you know you like one shade or finish more than the other, I would look elsewhere to get more bang for your buck.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo in Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby

In September, Rihanna launched her cosmetics line called Fenty Beauty, which caused something of an explosion in the makeup industry and online beauty community as everybody went crazy over it; there was no social media platform that wasn't saturated in photos, videos, reviews, and swatches of Fenty Beauty products. Rihanna has stated that "Fenty Beauty was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included; that's the real reason I made this line." Rihanna launched a base range of seven makeup formulations and six makeup tools that, with the exception of a single lip gloss, are focused on skin. 

This range includes four dual shades of Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, which is described as "a weightless, long-wear cream-to-powder hybrid" that "ranges from subtle day glow to insanely super-charged shades that were designed for all skin tones." It "keeps skin lit beyond sundown with its weightless long-wear formula… that instantly melts into skin and blends with almost zero effort." They are housed in a white mirrored octagonal compacts with the Fenty Beauty logo in grey on the lid, with secondary packaging that features a black-and-white graffiti design. Each Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter contains a total of 7 grams of product (3.5 grams per shade) and retails for $42. In North America, Fenty Beauty is available exclusively in-store and online at Sephora, and online at Fenty Beauty.

Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby
In daylight: Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby
In direct sunlight: Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby

Lightning Dust is a light-medium warm shell beige in a soft pearlized finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer and more muted than Fenty Beauty Fire Crystal, lighter and cooler than Fenty Beauty Mean Money, darker and more pinked than Fenty Beauty Metal Moon, and more muted than MAC Soft and Gentle.

Fire Crystal is a light neutral silvered shell beige with soft rose gold micro-shimmer in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more metallic than Fenty Beauty Lightning Dust, cooler than MAC Soft and Gentle, darker and more pinked than MAC Double-Gleam, lighter and cooler than Becca Opal, and darker and more pinked than Becca Moonstone.

Mean Money is a medium warm golden beige in a soft pearlized finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and sheer to semi-sheer buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more golden than Fenty Beauty Lightning Dust, softer and more muted than Fenty Beauty Hu$tla Baby, more golden and less metallic than Fenty Beauty Girl Next Door, warmer and less metallic than Too Faced Ray of Light, and more golden and slightly more shimmery than Hourglass Luminous Light.

Hu$tla Baby is a medium warm peachy champagne gold with soft golden peach micro-shimmer in a metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach and more metallic than Fenty Beauty Mean Money, darker than MAC Beaming Blush, more golden than Anastasia Beverly Hills Mimosa (Gleam), lighter and more golden than Becca Rose Gold, and darker and more peach than Becca Prosecco Pop.

I realize that I'm posting this review two months after these launched and there are hundreds of reviews for these highlighters out now, but I figured I'd put in my two cents because I've been wearing these for a several weeks and have really given them a solid test run (plus, I already took the photos). First, I want to note that these are not cream-to-powder. They are a soft, finely-milled powder so they feel creamy, but they function and apply as powders. I say this because that description of "cream-to-powder" almost deterred me from checking these out as I am strictly a powder girl. So in case there are people like me out there, I just wanted to clarify that. Each of the highlighter duos comes with one shade that is softer and more subtle with a muted pearlized sheen, and one shade that is more intense and saturated with a strong metallic finish. In theory, this provides more options for the consumer: the more muted shade is ideal for areas like under the brow or cupid's bow or the nose bridge, where you don't necessarily want a beaming highlight, and the stronger metallic shade is great for cheekbones and inner corner highlights.

However, the flaw in execution here is that the consumer looking for that beaming, high-shine highlight is only going to like the right-side pan of these duos, and likewise, the consumer looking for a soft, subtle highlight is only going to like the left-side pan. I feel like the majority of people won't use both shades in each compact; they'll generally favour one more than the other, leaving the other shade wasted. I do wish these highlighters had come out as singles for this reason. That having been said, all the shades here are smooth, finely-milled, and creamy. They apply evenly and really do look stunning on the skin, especially with Fire Crystal and Hu$tla Baby looking almost wet on the skin. My only real complaint is with the shade Mean Money, which seems to be more sheer than any of the other shades in this range. It doesn't give off much pigmentation which in turn looks almost like nothing on the skin, so I feel like it's more suited as an all-over illuminating face powder (similar to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder) than a real highlighter. Overall, if you like variety in tone and finish with your highlighters, then these Fenty Beauty duos are worth checking out. But there are plenty of dupes for all of these shades out there, so if you know you like one shade or finish more than the other, I would look elsewhere to get more bang for your buck.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Metal Moon and Trophy Wife

In September, Rihanna launched her cosmetics line called Fenty Beauty, which caused something of an explosion in the makeup industry and online beauty community as everybody went crazy over it; there was no social media platform that wasn't saturated in photos, videos, reviews, and swatches of Fenty Beauty products. Rihanna has stated that "Fenty Beauty was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included; that's the real reason I made this line." Rihanna launched a base range of seven makeup formulations and six makeup tools that, with the exception of a single lip gloss, are focused on skin. 

This range includes two individual shades of Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, which is described as "a weightless, long-wear cream-to-powder hybrid" that "ranges from subtle day glow to insanely super-charged shades that were designed for all skin tones." It "keeps skin lit beyond sundown with its weightless long-wear formula… that instantly melts into skin and blends with almost zero effort." They are housed in a white mirrored octagonal compacts with the Fenty Beauty logo in grey on the lid, with secondary packaging that features a black-and-white graffiti design. Each Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter contains 8 grams of product and retails for $42. In North America, Fenty Beauty is available exclusively in-store and online at Sephora, and online at Fenty Beauty.

Metal Moon and Trophy Wife
In daylight: Metal Moon and Trophy Wife
In direct sunlight: Metal Moon and Trophy Wife

Metal Moon is a pale warm muted white with a champagne gold pearlized sheen in a satin-frost finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer and more golden than Fenty Beauty Fire Crystal, lighter and cooler than Fenty Beauty Hu$tla Baby, warmer and more metallic than MAC Lightscapade, warmer and more muted than Becca Pearl, and warmer and more muted than Jeffree Star Ice Cold.

Trophy Wife is a medium warm brightened yellow gold with an intense sparkling metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily, though there is some minor glitter fall-out. It is darker and more yellow than MAC Beaming Blush, lighter and more yellow than MAC Gold Deposit, darker than Jeffree Star Summer Snowcone, darker and more yellow than Becca Prosecco Pop, and darker and brighter than Becca Champagne Gold.

I realize that I'm posting this review two months after these launched and there are hundreds of reviews for these highlighters out now, but I figured I'd put in my two cents because I've been wearing these for a several weeks and have really given them a solid test run (plus, I already took the photos). First, I want to note that these are not cream-to-powder. They are a soft, finely-milled powder so they feel creamy, but they function and apply as powders. I say this because that description of "cream-to-powder" almost deterred me from checking these out as I am strictly a powder girl. So in case there are people like me out there, I just wanted to clarify that. On that note, Trophy Wife has gotten more hype than anything else in the Fenty Beauty range, probably because it was included in all the PR packages that they sent out, so every "influencer" or "beauty guru" got their hands on it. While I think Trophy Wife has a gorgeous sparkling metallic finish and the formula is smooth and beautifully pigmented, it's a really difficult highlighter for most skin tones to pull off. Rihanna's whole credo with this line is that it's "for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races," but Trophy Wife will flatter a very minimal amount of people, at least on its own. It is too yellow for the majority of skin tones, and also way too glittery for most people to use outside of a nightclub setting. That having been said, it is one of the most unique shades I've seen in a highlighter formula, in both the colour and the finish. Like, when you have it on, everyone knows it's Trophy Wife. (I have also used it as an eyeshadow, and while it is really, really pretty, the glitter particles do come loose and I have found that they can get into the eye very easily, so definitely use a good glitter glue or eye base first.) Basically, if you want bling for your face, get Trophy Wife.

The other shade, Metal Moon, is on the opposite spectrum of Trophy Wife. Soft, understated, delicate. It looks white in the pan, which can scare off a lot of people, but it's actually very wearable across all skin tones because it's so soft and blendable. It leaves a velvety lustre on the skin, but it's very natural — this is ideal for mature or textured skin, or for those in more conservative work environments, or for someone who likes a subdued or no-makeup makeup look. The white base gives it some brightness, but it actually leaves a soft pearlized champagne gold sheen on the skin — it's not really a lit-from-within glow so much as a smooth, illuminated, healthy-looking complexion. All of a sudden, I get where the name comes from. Skin looks like it's softly lit under moonlight. And there's something truly beautiful in that kind of subtlety.